The present invention relates to a system for cleaning pressurized containers having chemicals contained therein. Specifically, the present invention relates to a system for cleaning pressurized containers such as, for example, rail tank cars, mobile tanks or the like. Further, the chemicals may be any material stored under pressure that may be difficult to collect and dispose of due to the hazardous characteristics thereof.
It is, of course, generally known to store and/or transport chemicals having hazardous characteristics via pressurized containers. Further, it is also generally known to clean these containers using a variety of methods and systems. In the past, cleaning pressurized containers entailed venting excess gaseous material to the atmosphere. Further, unpressurized containers contained bottom hatches or valves for draining liquid chemicals. However, many hazardous chemicals escaped into the environment thereby causing health risks for humans, vegetation and wildlife. With the advent of environmental standards and compliance, however, venting or draining hazardous chemicals to the environment has generally become illegal. Today, the chemicals are typically routed to a flare to be incinerated or otherwise collected for disposal.
However, while some of the gases contained within the containers may be relatively easy to recover and dispose of by venting of the pressurized containers to a flare, it is difficult to remove all of the gases contained therein. Further, liquid product may remain inside a container after cleaning. Typical systems and methods of cleaning may involve injecting the container with a quantity of steam that may aid in bringing the liquid chemicals to the gaseous phase and removing the steam/gaseous chemical product combination for incineration or disposal. However, problems may occur using steam to remove chemicals from pressurized containers since steam may condense within the container forming liquid water or ice. The liquid water or ice may mask the presence of the chemicals from detectors. Further, the liquid water or ice may interfere with the removal of the chemicals from the container.
Another method of removal, especially for unpressurized containers having liquid therein, may include entering the container to manually remove the chemical. While this may be a relatively efficient and thorough way to remove the chemical from the container, it may be very dangerous, as it requires an individual to actually enter the container thereby exposing the individual to the chemicals contained therein. Further, by opening the container, there may be a significant risk that some of the chemicals may escape into the environment.
Therefore, an improved system of cleaning pressurized containers is necessary. Particularly, a system is needed that overcomes the problems associated with typical cleaning systems. Further, a system is needed that cleanly and efficiently moves chemical product from a pressurized container and transports the waste product to a proper disposal system such as a flare for incineration.
The present invention relates to a system for cleaning a pressurized container having chemicals therein. More specifically, the present invention allows containers such as, for example, rail tank cars, to be cleaned safely and efficiently without risking exposure of the chemicals to people or the environment. The invention entails injecting heated and pressurized nitrogen gas into the container thereby purging the container of any chemical therein to form a nitrogen/chemical mixture. The nitrogen/chemical mixture may then be sent to a flare for incineration. Further, the heated nitrogen gas may aid in pulling the chemical out of the container and transporting the chemical to the flare for incineration.
To this end, in an embodiment of the present invention, a system for cleaning pressurized containers containing chemicals is shown comprising: a container having a quantity of chemicals therein wherein the container has a plurality of valves for attaching a plurality of pipes thereto; a nitrogen storage tank having a first pipe extending therefrom and attachable to a first valve on the container; a heating means wherein the first pipe is heated by the heating means; and a flare having a second pipe extending therefrom and attachable to a second valve on the container.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the system is mobile.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the container is a rail tank car.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the container is disposed on a vehicle.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the container further comprises a boiler for boiling water to feed into the heating means.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the container further comprises a nitrogen vaporizer attached to a second section of the first pipe for vaporizing the nitrogen from the nitrogen storage tank.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises a liquid pipe attached to the first valve wherein the liquid pipe extends to a bottom of the container.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises a vapor pipe attached to the second valve and extending partially within the container.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises a protective housing disposed on a top of the container wherein the protective housing houses the plurality of valves.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the protective housing has a removable lid to gain access to the plurality of valves therein.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises a pressure plate on a top of the container wherein the pressure plate provides access to the interior of the container.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises a platform situated adjacent the top of the container to aid an individual in gaining access to the top of the container.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises a plurality of sideports on the protective housing wherein the sideports provide access to the plurality of valves housed within the protective housing.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the flare is capable of incinerating a plurality of chemicals.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the flare incinerates both liquefied petroleum gas and anhydrous ammonia.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the flare has an inlet pipe for adding air within the flare.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises a blower for blowing air through the inlet pipe into the flare.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises a natural gas inlet attached to the flare for feeding natural gas to the flare.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises a pressure gauge attached to one of the plurality of valves for measuring the pressure within the tank.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises a control panel having a plurality of switches for controlling the system.
It is, therefore, an advantage of the present invention to provide a system for cleaning a pressurized container having a quantity of chemicals therein that safely and efficiently removes chemicals from the container. Moreover, it is advantageous that the present invention removes chemicals from the container without risking exposure to people or the environment.
Further, it is an advantage of the present invention to provide a system for cleaning a pressurized container having a quantity of chemicals therein that allows the chemicals to be removed without causing damage to the container by freezing the container or pipes connected thereto. In addition, an advantage of the present invention is that the heated nitrogen gas used to remove the product will not condense within the container and therefore will not mask the presence of the chemicals therein.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a system for cleaning a pressurized container having a quantity of chemicals therein that is largely automatic and therefore allows an individual to monitor the process without exposing the individual to the chemicals. Additionally, an advantage of the present invention is that a plurality of types of containers may be cleaned using the system and method defined herein, including, but not limited to, rail tank cars and other like containers.